Quick freeze refrigerator unit



Malh 11, 1941 w. s. PHILLIPS 2.234.415

QUICK FREEZE REFRIERATOR UNI-T y Filed Sept. 21, 1932 Sheets-Sheet) r @daQ/g March 11, 1941v w. s. PHlLLl-Ps l 2.234.415

QUIcx FREEZE nsFnicnsnA'ron UNIT VFuga sept; 21,1939l 2 sheets-sheet 2 i@ MQ@ Y Patented Mar. 1.1, 1941 y' UNlri-:o STATE 2,234,415 QUICK Faenza anralcsnsron UNrr PATENT* orlcs f waiter s. rnimrr, Greensboro, N. o. Application september zi, 1939,' ser-uu Nn.. 295,910

4 Claims.' (Cl. 63-126) This invention relates to a quick-freeze refrigeratlng unitl for use in combination with an ice refrigerator.

The primary object of the stored and in which the temperature vis maintained at an extremely low level.

Another object is to provide an evaporator unit surrounding -a freezing chamber. 'Ihe novel arlo rangement of baiiies in an evaporator to provide the utmost in transfer of heatfrom the freezing chamber to the refrigerant, and to provide struc- 2o partially broken away, showing the quick-freeze' unit therein. lig.- 2 is a vertical cross section through the freezing chamber and the parts adjacent thereto; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the evaporator element.

Referring particularly to Fig. l, the reference numeral 2 denotes the quick-freeze unit supported by brackets 4 in a refrigerator 6, which has an ice compartment 6. Ice in the refrigerator causes removal of a great amount of heat from the air surrounding the quick-freeze unit, and thus cooperates with the compressor i2 to provide an extremely low temperature in thefreezer. 35 Compressor I, mounted beneath the refrigerator, is belt-driven by electric motor l2 so that the refrigerating uid is forced through condenser i4, receiving tank I8, and through supply pipe i8. Supply pipe i8 extends upwardly along 4o the outer side of the rear wall of the refrigerator and passes inwardly through a suitable aperture, not shown, in the refrigerator wall. Inside the refrigerator, supply pipe I8 is connected to the inlet side of the evaporator unit, the outlet side 45- of which is connected by suction return pipe 2 0 to the suction side of compressor lli. n

Fig. 2 shows the specific elements of the yquickfreeze unit 2 enclosed in the rectangular wooden casing 30. The rear wall of casing 34 is provided 50 Awith an aperture I9 through which supply pipe I8 passes to expansion valve 22, which is nested in recess 23 hollowed out of the inner side of the rear wall of casing 22.

Expansion valve 22 is connected by pipe 24 w 55 the evaporator. which is surrounded by insulatinvention ls to pro-l .5' vide a quick-freeze unit in which food may be ing material 2l, preferably formed of pressed cork, although obviously other materialswould sumce.

As shown inFigs. 2 and 3, the evaporator is' formed of outer and inner shells l2 and 34, respectively, of'sheetmetal. The shells are held- ,in spaced relationship by thin, strip-metal baiiles, designated A-A and B-B and the single bane c-c. the side edge being preferably V soldered to lthe shells. Bailies A-A and B-.B are of substantially uniform length, and shorter than the shells so that alternate staggering thereof provides a continuous, single labyrinth passage .between thev inner and outer shells. Baiile C-C extends along the entire length of the shells toA provide a uni-directional ow of refrigerant through the Vpassage as will be more fully explained. The B-B bale and the bailleC-C 1 abut against the rear end wall 3i of the evaporator, to which they are soldered to provide a fluidtight seal.- Rear end wall 36 is a rectangular sheet of metal soldered to the end edges ofthe inner and outer shells 34 and 32. and provided, on opposite sides of baille C-C, with holes 88 and 40, at the outer sides of which outlet and inlet pipes 20 and 24 are soldered. 'I'he front end edges of the inner and outer shells, the 'baille A andthe baie'C are all soldered to therectangular frame 42, which-maybe stamped of sheet metal, to enclose the evaporating chamber.

Itis apparent lthat when refrigerating fluid enters the evaporator through hole 40, it must pass back and forth between the baiiles as indicated by the arrows until it can reach the outlet 38. This, in effect, provides an extremely long evaporating chamber. Since the bames are only in edge engagement with the surface of shell 3, the inner and outer surfaces of the shell are, relatively unobstructed so that heat may transfer through the shell from the freezing chamber 56 to the expanding refrigerant in the evaporator.

'As shown in Fig. 2, nuts1 v44 are soldered t0 the front face of frame 42 for engagement in counterrecesses in the rear edge of boards 48 which form a rectangular throat; Bolts 48 pass through the boards 4l threadedly to engage nuts 45. The planks 4l whichform the throat'are secured by screws A(not shown) to 'front end member of the casing. and the front opening. of the casing is closed by taperedcork plug 52 which is faced by the rectangular wooden ,piece 53. A hollow rubber tube is secured to the front wall of the' casing to provide weatherstripping, thus insuring tight sealing of the food chamber 56 when engaged by facing piece Il.

It is apparent that the ice in the refrigerator cools the air surrounding the evaporator so that the major portion of the heat absorbed by the refrigerant in the evaporator comes from the food stored in the freezing compartment. Since the motor, compressor and condenser are outside the refrigerator, the heat given off thereby need not be absorbed in the refrigerator.

Since most of the component parts of this deL vice may be readily formed of sheet material with simple cutting tools, and since the parts may be assembled without special jigs, forms, or dies, the units may be manufactured extremely easily and inexpensively.

The special arrangement of the shells and batlies combines structural rigidity with thermal eloiency in a device, the manufacture of which is well within the capabilities o'f any competent sheet metal worker after the teachings of this disclosure.

This invention is not to be limited to the elements shown and described, and all obvious modiflcations'and equivalents are to be included within the scope of the following claims.

I claim: f

l. An evaporator for a refrigerator, comprising spaced inner and outer shells of sheet material, end wall members engaged between the end portions of said shells for enclosing an evaporator i chamber therebetween, a single, longitudinal bafde comprising a strip of material extending to each end wall and having the side edges thereof engaged with the respective surfaces of the shells, refrigerating fluid inlet and outlet means disposed on each side, respectively, of said baille, two groups of substantially identical, longitudinalbaies formed of strips of material of a width substantially equal to the distance between the shells and of a length substantially shorter than said shells, the members of one group beingdisposed, successively, from each side of said single baille at spaced intervals, the ends of said group abutting one end .wall member, the individual members of the other group being disposed between each pair of the first-mentioned group and having their ends abutting the opposite end wall.

2. A quick-freeze refrigerator unit, including an inner shell of sheet metal providing top, bottom, and side walls of a food storage chamber and the inner wall of an evaporator chamber, an outer shell spaced from the inner shell and forming the outer wall of the evaporator chamber, an end plate attached to the rear end poredges of the first group being engaged against said member, the end edges of the second group being engaged against said plate, whereby to support said shells in spaced relationship and whereby to provide an elongated passagev for refrigerant, and inlet and outlet means for conducting refrigerant to and removing it from the passage. 4 y 3. In a quick-freeze refrigerator unit as claimed 20 Y in claim 2; a layer of insulating material surrounding said outer shell, a casing substantially .tween the members of the second group, the end surrounding said insulating material, said casing having an opening in the front wall thereof for access to said food-storage chamber, support 2 5 means engaged with said front wall and said flat,

frame-like member for holding said shellsrigid with respect to. said casing, and closure means for closing said front opening.

4. In a quick-freezing refrigerator unit, anO

inner shell of sheet material forming the top, bottom and side walls of a food storage chamber, said inner shell forming the inner wall of an evaporator, the end walls of said evaporator being formed of sheet material joined to the end 85 f edge portions -of said inner shell and vextending substantially outwardly therefrom, a plurality of strips of sheet material spaced from one another having one longitudinal edge secured to the outer side of said shell, and having one end 4B edge secured to one end wall of said evaporator, the other end edge of each of said strips'having at least a portion thereof spaced from the other end wall of said evaporator, the outer wall of said evaporator comprising an outer shell formed of sheet material Joined to the "other longitudinal edges of said strips, said outer shell having the end edge portions thereof secured to said end Walls', and inlet and outlet means for conducting refrigerant to and removing it from said orator.

WAL'I'ER s. PHrLLrPs. 

